Closer
by Pricat
Summary: Artie is feeling scared about turning twenty one and becoming King but meeting a new mysterious girl makes him seem happy but her mother wants to take over the kingdom. Can he face his fears while helping his new friend?
1. Chapter 1

**Closer**

Sunlight poured through the windows of the castle of Far, Far Away but somebody was depressed. It was none other than Arthur Pendragon or Artie as he liked to be called by people especially his friends and family but he was depressed. It would be his twenty first birthday in a month. But he felt sad and alone.

He then snuck out after getting dressed because he would be crowned in a month on his twenty first birthday. But he didn't feel happy about being King but couldn't refuse.

"_I'd rather hang around the kingdom than go through preparing for being crowned._

_Besides Lillian won't mind." _Artie thought as he was walking through the streets of the kingdom but felt a little lonely.

Being part of the royal family meant it was harder for him to make friends with other kids because they would treat him differently. He hoped that somebody would befriend him.

A young teen girl with black hair, slender and wore black clothes and wore a dragon necklace. She had trouble fitting in with other kids because she wasn't like other girls all pretty divas and air heads.

Her name was Aruna.

She also had magic like her mother but her mother was..... strange.

She like Aruna didn't really fit in with other adults because she was a sorceroress but wanted Far, Far Away for herself so nobody would disrespect her again.

But Aruna sighed.

She wanted to just have a normal life like other kids. She saw Artie on his own and wondered why he was alone. But some kids were around him.

She could feel that he was in trouble. Artie was worried as Lance's son and his friends were chasing him and it made him sick. They knew he was King and were trying to make his life miserable.

"Get back here loser!" Lance's son Amel yelled as Artie managed to lose them but they caught up to him.

"My Dad was right, you are a loser and nothing's changed since you've became King!" he told him as he tried to back away. Aruna then showed up with magic glowing in her eyes.

"Leave him alone jerkwads!" she yelled as magic shot out of her hands hitting Amel turning him into a frog. Amel's friends were scared and ran off.

Artie was amazed by that. He'd never seen that happen before but smiled shyly. "T-Thanks. If you hadn't came, they would've flattened me.

I'm Artie." the young King told her.

"I'm Aruna.

I moved here a few days ago.

My mother and I aren't like normal families so moving to Far, Far Away was perfect for us." she told him as magic glowed in her eyes but faded. She was hiding something from him but didn't want to say. It was that secret that made other people hate her and her mother. Her father wasn't human and she had inherited his appearance.

But her spell had concealed it by making her look human.

She had to go home.

"Thanks again for helping me." Artie said as he saw her leave. She nodded as she left. Artie sighed as he saw it was sunset and knew Lillian wouldn't be happy if he was late.

"_Let's hope she forgets."_ he thought as he returned to the castle. When he walked into the living room, he saw that Fiona was there. An evil smile crossed his face.

But Fiona noticed he was distracted at dinner.

"Are you okay?" Lillian asked him.

"Yeah, Yeah I'm fine.

I was.... just thinking about something." Artie answered softly as he ate lobster. He hoped Aruna was okay but in the forest, in a hidden cavern home Aruna noticed her mother was using her magic to see into the castle. She sighed as she went to her room and locked the door.

"Unconcealous!" she said as magic surrounded her and her human form faded, revealing an ogre girl. She sighed sadly remembering Artie and the look on his face when she'd used her magic to take care of those kids who were bugging him.

"_But if he saw the real me, he wouldn't understand but I wish..... I could look normal all the time like my Mom."_ she thought as she wrote in her diary......

But that night Artie couldn't sleep because he had Arura on his mind.

He hoped he would see her again.....


	2. Getting to Know Her

**Closer**

Aruna sighed as she couldn't sleep that night.

Her mother was out searching for ways to take over the kingdom. She was the Fairy Godmother's daughter but unlike Charming was smart and conniving like her mother.

She trembled as she heard thunder.

But then Artie came to her mind.

He seemed to care about her unlike anybody she'd ever met.

"Maybe he would understand.

I should go to Far, Far Away again soon when the storm dies down." the young ogre girl thought as she waited for the storm to pass but thinking about that seemed to calm her down.

But Aruna's mother was casting a spell and smiled as powerful magic surrounded the area but when it faded, somebody appeared.

It was her mother the Fairy Godmother.

"Hello Luna.

It's been so long." she told her daughter who smiled at that.

"I know it has but now you can help me take over Far, Far Away." Luna said as they vanished.

It was early morning as Artie's eyes opened and the storm had passed but he was busy thinking of somebody.

He couldn't help think of that young girl he'd met yesterday as he got dressed.

He then left the castle.

Aruna then walked through the streets of the kingdom but saw him.

He was surrounded by girls but ignored them as he tried to follow her.

He found her sitting outside Farbuck's reading while drinking a latte.

"Umm..... hey remember me?

I'm the guy you saved yesterday." he said sitting beside her as she blushed and stopped reading.

"I remember you.

Artie right?

I'm Aruna." she answered.

Artie smiled at her but he felt a strange feeling run through him.

"Why're you always here alone?

Don't you have any friends?" Artie asked her as she shook her head.

"No I don't.

They think I'm a monster." she answered.

"I don't think you are.

You seem different than all the other girls.

I like it." the young King told her as she smiled.

But the Fairy Godmother was surprised to learn her daughter had adopted an ogre girl and raised her as her own but had an idea especially when Luna told her how much Aruna liked the young King of Far, Far Away.

"Hmm....... we can use this to our upper hand." the Fairy Godmother said smiling.

"How Mother?" Luna asked confused.

"We can use her to get close to the young ruler in training and then take over the kingdom." she answered her cackling. Luna wasn't sure because Aruna was still young and even though she was different, she considered the girl as her daughter.

But Aruna was nervous as Artie decided to bring her to the castle. She liked him a lot but was afraid in case he or his royal friends wouldn't like her or sense something different about her.

"_It's worth it if they do._

_I know Artie wouldn't."_ she thought as they entered the castle. Lillian was surprised to hear laughter coming from the living room but was surprised to see a young girl with Artie the same age as him.

"Artie who is this dear?" she asked him.

"This is Aruna.

We met yesterday." he answered nervously but she understood.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Lillian asked her.

"Yes please." Aruna replied softly...........

Luna noticed that Aruna had returned after the sun set.

She was always worried at this time of night because the hunters would be out and would sense she wasn't human. But she was relieved seeing her enter the cave.

"Where were you?

I got worried." Luna asked her.

"I'm sorry.

I was with a friend." she replied softly.

Luna knew she'd been with Artie but couldn't let her know of the plan her grandmother had that involved them but saw Aruna get nervous around her grandmother as she saw her go to her room.

She fell asleep soundly that night........


	3. One Stormy Night

**Closer**

Fiona noticed that Artie was very quiet as she and Shrek had visited him and Lillian for dinner but wondered what was wrong but the young King wouldn't tell them but Lillian had a feeling it was to do with Aruna staying for dinner the other night.

Shrek was surprised that Artie had a girl in the castle with him but smiled.

He knew that Artie wasn't very comfortable around girls especially after Gwen rejecting him back at Worchester.

"_He needs a love of his own badly but Aruna seems familiar but I don't know why._

_But Artie seems happy._

_That's a good thing seeing he was so nervous about his birthday and becoming King legally." _he thought as he drank from a goblet.

"Artie are you worried about....... being King?

But why?

I know you're going to be great." Fiona told him.

But he didn't really answer but was worried hearing a storm outside.....

* * *

Aruna was nervous as she walked towards the castle as the storm was scaring her but she was in her human form but was shivering in fear because it made her remember the night her so called adopted mother had found her as a baby in a storm.

"_Please let him be there!_

_I can't stand being out in this storm a moment longer!"_ she thought as she fainted on the door step but a page gasped and went to get Lillian.

The ex queen was shocked to find Aruna wet and lying there.

She then ordered a page to bring the girl in.

Lillian then brought Aruna in the living room and laid her on a couch and wrapped her up in warm blankets.

Artie wondered what was wrong as Lillian rejoined them but she told him softly.

Artie was very worried hearing that and excused himself from the dining room......

* * *

Aruna's eyes opened slowly as Artie was by her side.

"Am I dead?" she asked feverishly.

Artie chuckled slightly at that as her blurry vision cleared and saw he was with her.

"No you're not dead.

You're in our castle.

Lillian found you lying outside on the door step.

What were you doing out in that storm?" he asked her.

"M-My Mom disowned me and kicked me out of the house.

I have nowhere to go." she answered coughing a lot.

"Ssh Aruna it'll be okay.

Just rest.

We'll sort everything out, I promise.

You've got to trust me, okay?" he said to her feeling her forehead.

It was very warm and she was burning up.

"_This isn't good._

_I need to get her help!"_ he thought as he saw her fall asleep and left the room.

* * *

The Fairy Godmother smiled evilly as she and her daughter were about to start their plan to take over Far, Far Away but were glad Aruna wasn't part of their plan seeing she was weak.

But she saw that she was with Artie and his friends but smiled evilly at that.

"It seems your ex brat is with the King and those we want revenge on.

Maybe....... we were a little hasty but we should put our plan into action now." she said.

She then went to plan.......

* * *

Artie couldn't sleep that night as he lay in his bed in his room.

Some strange feeling was running through him and it was something he couldn't explain but that feeling grew stronger whenever he was with Aruna but Lillian knew what was wrong.

Her nephew was in Love and smiled remembering when she and Harold had first met but sighed sadly.......


End file.
